I think I am flattered the spambots are in my journal! Wow, I've been noticed! Or...maybe not.

Don't know where to start, although I have nothing really interesting to report. Work was really busy, a few really, really sick people that needed a lot of attention. The sad thing is that all this illness is totally self-inflicted. Smoking. Obesity. Lack of sleep. Too much TV. (Yes, it causes real and serious illness.) Junk carbs. I don't blame the individual, though. Our society is messed up!

Anyway, missed church this AM. Was just too tired. But I woke up just in time to take BW Cat, who is actually named Leo, to the Blessing of the Animals. This is his third time. He does very well, although I am not so clueless that I don't know it isn't stressful for him. But it is one of those things that is important. I got two bits of kibble blessed by our pastor and put one on top of each food dish when I got home. Each cat promptly ate one. Leo forgave me right away. I think it had something to do with the sardines afterwards.

Bit nippy today! I fired up the woodstove, for the first time this is for real, not just to clean it or test it. It will make the place nice and cozy this evening.

AND I just have to record my Thai-inspired soup. I've heard it called Thai penicillin, but I would call it Thai H. It is impossible to stop eating it. And this is anathema, but I didn't put any chicken in it. Just didn't feel like it. Heated up some chicken broth, threw in lemongrass, ginger, lime zest and juice, red chili flakes, a can of coconut milk. Simmered it for awhile and served it over some wild mushrooms (previously cooked) with a good amount of cilantro, lime juice, and a squeeze of lemon too. Wowzah! I ate a stupid amount of it in a little Japanese bowl with a traditional soup spoon. I wish I could share it all with you. But maybe you aren't as fond of these flavors as I am. Particularly cilantro - I am on a cilantro kick lately, putting it in everything and eating it plain. I did manage to save enough soup for another meal. Maybe I will put chicken or fish in it.

I need to go to the grocery store, yuck. Just doesn't seem appealing.

10-07-2012, 02:58 PM

Siobhan

Oh, and a patient asked me out - when he is better, natch. He is 42.

10-07-2012, 05:00 PM

Siobhan

Rant about grocery store:

Why does EVERYTHING have soy in it? Why is soy oil considered healthy? Or even okay? WTF?

There is a new abomination in the produce department. A reduced fat avocado. They call it a Slim-cado. DOUBLE WTF!?! What sicko would take one of the healthiest natural foods on the planet and eff with it? Especially removing the fat, which is a very healthy fat. Does anyone seriously think they are going to get thin by eating this frankenfood? (Sorry, getting a little carried away here.)

This happens all of the time. You know how you get those coupons when you check out? Well, at my grocery using them is a real adventure. The cashier won't take them at the beginning. You have to hand them to him/her at exactly the right time. If you wait until the end, they can't put it in because of computer vagaries. You would think that, knowing this, they would accept them at the beginning. Also, I am the customer. I am polite and respectful. I spend a lot of money there. Give a break here. Take the coupon. Even if I get all these things right, about half the time the computer won't scan it and it has to be put in manually. It's their own store coupon! And they always, always, always ask, "Did you buy these?" Again, WTF? What do they think I'm going to say? "Uh, no, I didn't, I gave that to you scam you out of 70 cents." Or I might actually say, "If you would have taken it from me at the beginning, you would have been able to ascertain that." Or hey, why doesn't the computer know? Doesn't seem like that hard to get a program to match coupons and products. Actually, at other stores I know that happens. What's up with my local grocery?

All right, enough.

10-07-2012, 05:00 PM

Siobhan

Rant about grocery store:

Why does EVERYTHING have soy in it? Why is soy oil considered healthy? Or even okay? WTF?

There is a new abomination in the produce department. A reduced fat avocado. They call it a Slim-cado. DOUBLE WTF!?! What sicko would take one of the healthiest natural foods on the planet and eff with it? Especially removing the fat, which is a very healthy fat. Does anyone seriously think they are going to get thin by eating this frankenfood? (Sorry, getting a little carried away here.)

This happens all of the time. You know how you get those coupons when you check out? Well, at my grocery using them is a real adventure. The cashier won't take them at the beginning. You have to hand them to him/her at exactly the right time. If you wait until the end, they can't put it in because of computer vagaries. You would think that, knowing this, they would accept them at the beginning. Also, I am the customer. I am polite and respectful. I spend a lot of money there. Give me a break here. Take the coupon. Even if I get all these things right, about half the time the computer won't scan it and it has to be put in manually. It's their own store coupon! And they always, always, always ask, "Did you buy these?" Again, WTF? What do they think I'm going to say? "Uh, no, I didn't, I gave that to you scam you out of 70 cents." Or I might actually say, "If you would have taken it from me at the beginning, you would have been able to ascertain that." Or hey, why doesn't the computer know? Doesn't seem like that hard to get a program to match coupons and products. Actually, at other stores I know that happens. What's up with my local grocery?

All right, enough.

10-07-2012, 05:08 PM

Siobhan

You might want to skip this post as it is about body stuff. As in smells, or lack of them. I went through a whole period of time where I was continually amazed that I don't smell anymore. My clothes don't smell either. Then I got used to it. I kind of forget to shower, although I wash regularly. Mostly I shower before and after swimming. I just realized that I have been wearing the same t-shirt for over 24 hours. I don't think I have ever done that in my life. I put it on yesterday, then put a long sleeve t-shirt over it, and a snap-front scrub top. When I got home this morning, I took off the two top layers but left the t-shirt on, slept in it, got up, put a sweater on, and started my day. But I'm not smelly, I swear I'm not.

10-08-2012, 05:37 AM

Sabine

So, is the patient date-worthy?

And lemon grass. I've seen it in the store from time to time, but I've never used it. Do you cut it up? Smash it? Stick it in whole and fish it out, like bay leaf?

10-08-2012, 09:43 AM

Siobhan

Alas, no. For a few reasons, the major one being that I can't/won't be around smokers.

Lemongrass - all of those things. You need to take off the outer part, and smash it. You can throw in a big piece and take it out or at least let people know it can't be eaten whole. I cut it into smaller bits because I like the way it looks. Has a lovely lemony flavor.

Just slept for 11 hours! Last night I got really hungry about 11 PM and made an omelet with fennel and dill. Would have been great but unfortunately I cooked it a bit too long and it was dry. Have half of it left, I will drown it with something and eat it. Anyway, I then slept like a log for a really long time, until the carnivores insisted on being fed. Then went back to sleep for a another really long time. Feel pretty good now. It was fun to wake up, lie in bed, and watch birds flying around through the big skylights.

10-08-2012, 10:21 AM

Sabine

Smoking, blech! That would be a deal breaker for me, too.

Okay, I'll have to try lemongrasss some time, now that I know what the heck to do with it. A zippy Thai broth sounds pretty good.

10-08-2012, 11:46 AM

Siobhan

Thai broth is almost TOO good, as I demonstrated this weekend when I consumed four servings in one meal! I've really been missing Thai food as we don't have it here on my isolated peninsula. There is a Thai take-out place in the town where I work, but I have never patronized the place. After I ate all the soup, I realized I had forgotten to put in the fish sauce. It was still so good without it. Next time.

Had a large bowl of salad greens with the usual EVOO and BV along with the remains of the omelet. Very satisfying. I checked the pool schedule and am happy to see there is lap swim from 3-4 PM on Monday. Just realized this is Columbus Day. Hmmm better check.

10-08-2012, 12:24 PM

Siobhan

Well, the pool is closed. Major bummer. I was so annoyed I picked up my hammer and for the first time I can honestly say I worked to failure. I was inspired by Mark's post today about preparing for cheats, where he outlines some workouts. I adapted his complex to a hammer workout, and threw in a lot of swings and stuff. It was really fun and gave me a crazy idea for a video for next year's challenge - kind of a hammer dance thing. Keep in mind here that I am NOT a dancer, don't really like dancing, don't dance in public, don't want to dance in public...but still I think it would be cool. Music would be something like Ralph Vaughan Williams - Lark Ascending.